Rangpur farmers for expanded cultivation of BRRI dhan-48 for food security

Our Correspondent | Published: July 28, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

RANGPUR July 27: The cultivation of the hybrid variety BRRI dhan-48 paddy in the northern region has shown great potential in addressing food security and coping with the climate change effects. Farmers of the district are showing eagerness in cultivating it as they can harvest the paddy earlier than any other varieties.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said, after harvesting Boro paddy, the cropland remains absolutely fallow between Bengali months from Baishakh to Shrabon. During this period the farmers here are cultivating the variety to produce crop additionally.
Farmers can start harvesting the hybrid BRRI dhan-48 paddy within 100 to 110 days of cultivation from the date of transplantation of the seedling. A farmer can harvest 60-70 maunds of Paddy on an average from one acre of land. Its irrigation cost is also lower and production is higher than many other varieties of paddy, sources added.
BRRI dhan-48 paddy has been cultivated on 12,500 hectares of land in 8 upazilas under the district during the current season and farmers are expecting a bumper yield of their produce.
The quality of this paddy is much better than the quality of BRRI-28 paddy. Its irrigation cost is also lower and production is higher than BRRI-28 variety paddy. The farming of the variety could offset effects of the climate change and meet the food production deficit of the country, sources claimed.
Mostafizur (45), a farmer of Tilokpara village under Mithapukur upazila expressed his satisfaction over the farming. 'I cultivated BRRI dhan-48 on two acres of land and am expecting at least 120-130 maunds of paddy this year. The cultivation of the paddy is more lucrative than the cultivation of Boro paddy,' he further said.
Mofakkharul Islam, another farmer of Khansama village of Kawnia upazila told FE that he cultivated the paddy on two bigha of land and is optimistic of attaining a good yield of this produced.
DAE in collaboration with several NGOs has been assisting the farmers in expanded farming of this sort of paddy to combat 'monga' (seasonal job crisis) which usually occurs during the Bengali month of Ashwin and Kartik. A large number of farm laboures in the region could have at least 20-25 day work in the farmlands. Thus the paddy can also mitigate job crisis in northern Bangladesh, sources added.
Talking to The Financial Express, a number of farmers of the district urged the authorities concerned to ensure adequate supply of BRRI dhan-48 seeds so that they can enhance rice production through expanded farming of the hybrid variety paddy.